The Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur is something to look forward to. Despite their domestic issues, they have been the two finest teams in the league this season.
In stark contrast to their Premier League performance, Spurs have been strangely comfortable in Europe, as Ruben Amorim's team is still the only undefeated team in the European competition this year.
They defeated Athletic Bilbao 7-1 overall, including two three-goal victories. Even though the second leg on Thursday had a hint of drama, Old Trafford never really went into panic since Bilbao was unable to score a second goal. Amorim chose the same starting lineup that had dominated in Spain because he didn't want to take any chances in a competition that United had to win.
This time, things were never going to be as simple as they had been in the first leg, and even without the Williams brothers, who were both sidelined due to injury—yes, that Inaki Williams, who once played 251 consecutive La Liga games—it couldn't get any worse for Ernesto Valverde and his team.
Bilbao faced a team far more valuable than themselves and was attempting to overcome a 3-0 deficit. In comparison, they have only twice paid more on a player than United did in order to fire Erik ten Hag and bring in Amorim. That's your nightly useless statistic.
Despite this discrepancy, there is still some optimism for any away team at Old Trafford these days. Bilbao tried it out. The problem? Completing. or absence of it. In an attempt to locate the postage stamp, Alex Berenguer struck it. Only 21-year-old Mikel Jauregizar managed to get their lone attempt on goal, a beautiful long-range shot that Andre Onana deflected into the net.
It was a painful sixty seconds for United. At the same time that Real Betis' £80 million flop Antony was bending in a free-kick, Bilbao scored to add some tension. It will always be amusing to see Manchester United players come back to their former glory as soon as they leave Old Trafford.
Alejandro Garnacho's missed simple one-on-ones are another frequent occurrence. His dink wide only escalated the tension, and it seemed like Bilbao might just nick a second to make this properly nervy, but it didn't happen.
Mason Mount's brilliant equalizer ended the match, and Bilbao gave up completely. Casemiro added another goal, a header, just to make sure United's undefeated record in Europe endures.
The cherry was saved for Mount's second goal, and third in two games, a left-footed effort from somewhere close to Salford, although Rasmus Hojlund thought he had finished it off with a tap-in. Hear me out: fair play.
Amorim's subordinates caused the harm. Mount took home a brace. Amad Diallo established Hojlund. Two take-ons were crammed into just eleven minutes by Kobbie Mainoo. Beautiful work.
They will meet in Bilbao with a spot in the Champions League next season and millions on the line. It's absurd, but it's not undeserved. They've looked the part in this competition, and that's all that matters. So, we get the final we didn't know we needed: two broken Premier League giants, 15th vs. 16th, 35 combined defeats, and not one of them on 40 points.
Though they may be better able to take the hit, don't mistake that for a lack of desire. For United, it's about financing a rebuild that would be nearly impossible without Champions League football and that windfall.
For Spurs, it could determine Postecoglou's future; even if they win, he's not safe; if they don't, he's done. United is still vying for its first trophy since 2008, in case you were unaware.
Even if you exclude the five years under Sir Alex Ferguson, United has performed much better on the trophy front throughout that time. They will have won a trophy each of the previous three seasons if they win in Bilbao.
In some way. even if they are a total mess both on and off the field. Although we honestly didn't anticipate it going this way, we are fully prepared for a football game in which two sides would do all in their power to lose.
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